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CARDIFF
Cardiff is the largest city in Wales and the country's
capital. Located on the South Wales coast it is
administered as a unitary authority. It was a small town
until the early nineteenth century and came to
prominence following the arrival of industry in the
region and the use of Cardiff as a major port for the
transport of coal. Cardiff was made a city in 1905 and
proclaimed capital of Wales in 1955. According to 2004
population estimates, the population of Cardiff is
around 316,800, making it the 16th largest settlement in
the United Kingdom.
Cardiff is bordered to the West by the fertile plains of
the Vale of Glamorgan, to the east by the City of
Newport, to the North by the South Wales Valleys and to
the south by the Bristol Channel. The River Taff winds
through the centre of the city and together with the
River Ely flows into the fresh water lake of Cardiff
Bay. Cardiff is a relatively flat city and its
geographic features were influential in its development
as one of the worlds largest coal ports. Most notably
this included its proximity and easy access to the coal
fields of the South Wales Valleys. Cardiff has a
relatively dry climate compared to the rest of Wales,
with an average rainfall of 1,065mm. It is also a
relatively mild city, with an average January
temperature of 4.5°C and an average July temperature of
16°C.
The city has a professional football team, Cardiff City
F.C., nicknamed "The Bluebirds". There is also the world-famous
Cardiff RFC rugby union team, regional Cardiff Blues
rugby team, and the Cardiff Devils ice hockey team. The
city also features an international sporting venue, the
Millennium Stadium. Cardiff hosted the 1958 British
Empire and Commonwealth Games. The Wales Empire Swimming
Pool was demolished to make way for the Millennium
Stadium, and eventually, a 50 metre replacement pool
will be built in Cardiff Bay.
Cardiff is home to Cardiff Castle, the National Assembly
for Wales, St. David's Hall, the National Museum and
Gallery, and Cathays Park (including municipal buildings
modelled on those in New Delhi), and the Cardiff
Metropolitan Cathedral. The Welsh National Opera moved
into the Wales Millennium Centre in November 2004.
Cardiff's centre is a particularly green one with Bute
Park, formerly the castle grounds, extending northwards
from the top of the Cardiff's main shopping street (Queen
Street); when combined with the adjacent Llandaff Fields
to the northwest it produces a massive open space
skirting the river Taff. The popular name of Taffy, for
the Welshman abroad has its origins in the name of the
river. Other popular parks include Roath Park in the
north, donated to the city by the 3rd Marquess of Bute
in 1887 and which includes a very popular boating lake;
Victoria Park, Cardiff's first official park; and
Thompson's Park, formerly home to an aviary removed in
the 1970s.
It is possible to cycle from Cardiff to Brecon almost
completely off road on the Taff Trail, a cycle route
which follows the River Taff and many of the old disused
railways of the Glamorganshire valleys.
Cardiff is starting to become a centre for contemporary
music, with musicians like The Automatic and Charlotte
Church tracing their roots from here.
Cardiff has also been repeatedly mentioned in the BBC TV
show Doctor Who, where it was often filmed (the show is
made for the BBC network by BBC Wales). The mentions are
a bit tongue-in-cheek, of the "Where are we? It's not
Cardiff again is it?" variety. It has been claimed that
1 out of 5 tourists to Cardiff chose to visit after
seeing it on TV (The Sun, Monday 17th April 2006)
Cardiff hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1883, 1899,
1938, 1960 and 1978.
Cardiff Philatelic Society is the oldest Philatelic
Society in Wales. It was formed in 1899. |
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